The Game
by Tonks394
Summary: If you could play a game, a game where the losers die and the winners gain. The game holds the past, present and future. Harry, Hermione and Ron play, but at what cost.
1. Pick your men

Chapter 1- Introducing the game

Harry was in Diagon alley with Hagrid. Hagrid said he needed to get something and left him to his own resources in some interesting shop. He had managed to get all his school supplies and was now wandering the store in search of something to do before he could go to Hogwarts, for the holidays. He had enough gold he believed to at least buy something interesting to do. He was going through rows of books on the side of the store when he swore he heard something whispering to him.

'Come, come here, play a game of ones greatest fears.'

He shook his head in attempt to get rid of the chilling voice. 'I must be losing it' harry muttered to himself.

'The game where the losers die and winners find vast knowledge.'

Harry's weak attempt at shaking his head to rid the voice was getting him nowhere and a sudden curiosity peaked. He automatically was drawn to the voice. It was chilling, goosebumps across his arms but it was beautiful and velvet. Smooth and without fault.

'Come, come here. To seek out ones fear, one's dream and ones desires. Come here.'

Harry ungracefully moved towards the voice. He believed it was coming from a few rows over. He saw a rectangular box, it was flat and it reminded him of Dudley's board game, monopoly. He reached out to touch it, when a gruff voice spoke from behind him.

"You touch it, you buy it." The shopkeeper said giving harry a fright.

"Oh sorry." Harry took his hand away. He wanted to know what was inside of it, so badly. He wasn't somebody to be so curious but the voice, he wanted the voice. He wanted to know about it.

"How much?" harry asked turning towards the stout man. He was old and haggard. A rough face full of wrinkles, a large almost square nose took up most of his face. His eyes were blue but gave the impression of being black. They reminded harry of the snake he let lose at the zoo. Dark and small. Full of secrets.

"Um, 15 gallons." He replied, his eyebrows in surprise that the boy wanted it.

"I'll take it." Harry said searching through his pockets to find some coins. He counted them out before grabbing the box and left the store. He waited outside until Hagrid came back, in tow a white snowy owl. For him, for his birthday. It was the first present he had ever gotten for his birthday. He was so distracted about the day and the owl that he forgot about the box and the voice from it. He ignored all about the store actually until he got to platform nine and three quarters.

Harry was far more distracted by, his owl Hedwig, a name he came across when reading a history of magic, along with reading his other books. Unpacking and repacking his suitcase. And all round being excited. He forgot about the box.

Uncle Vernon had dropped Harry off, between platforms 9 and 10 and was rather cruel about the whole ordeal. He just left cackling with laughter. He tried to ask people in the station for help but none of which had ever heard of Hogwarts. Most of them walked away from the 'irritating' boy muttering about wasting time, others laughed thinking it was some sort of joke and one was actually concerned about his mental wellbeing. Harry was trying not to panic but there was only ten minutes before the train left. Was there something Hagrid forgot to tell him, anything at all. Harry tried to think back, did he say something. Nothing he could recall.

He stood there for a bit looking at the clock and counting down the seconds when he caught a few words from a group of red heads.

'Packed with muggles of course-'

Harry pushed his trolley closer to the group trying to hear what they were saying from what harry had gathered from his time in Diagon alley that only witches and wizards would call, averagely normal, non-magical people, muggles.

Harry watched what looked like the oldest boy, move swiftly towards platforms nine and ten. Harry tried hard to see what he had done but there was a sudden swarm of tourists and had missed it. He didn't really want to ask for help. He didn't usually have to since he spent a lot of time at the Dursleys instead of other places. Well there was the zoo but harry doubted he would be allowed to go there again.

"Excuse me but how do you manage to get on to the platform nine and three quarters." He asked the plump woman who looked as if she knew what she was doing.

"Hello dear. New as well so is Ron." She said gesturing to her son. He was taller than Harry and rather gangly. He also had quite the collection of freckles on his face, most on his rather long nose, along with large feet and hands. "Now to get on the platform all you have to do is run towards the barrier."

"Er-okay," said Harry.

Turning his trolley to face the barrier and made a slight run towards the very solid brick wall. He was about a foot away and waited for the sudden impact of the wall. He didn't realise he had closed his eyes until he opened them to see a scarlet train engine. The place was quite a sight. There was a sign over head saying 'Hogwarts express 11 o'clock. He dodged the people and then managed to get on the train. The place was packed with people especially families fare welling their children. He had managed to find an empty compartment at the end of the train. He also got some assistance from the twin boys whose mother had helped him. They reacted oddly though when they discovered that he was Harry Potter. It was rather strange.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest red headed boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" He asked. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. The smudge his mother talking about still there.

"Hey Ron."

The twins were back.

"Listen we're going down the middle of the train, lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right." Mumbled Ron.

"Harry," Said the other twin. "Did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George weasly. And this is ron our brother. See you later then."

Bye," Ron and harry said in unison as the twins left.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron asked bluntly. And they both fell into conversation.

Ron and harry had eaten most of the food from the trolley with wrappers around the compartment and Ron was just about to show Harry a spell that the twins had told him about when a bushy brown haired girl, with beaver like teeth came in.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," She said in a bossy tone.

They both shook their heads but it seemed the girl seemed to have noticed Ron's wand .

"Oh you're doing magic, let's see it then." She sat down and Ron looked stunned.

"Er- alright." Ron cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow." He flicked his wand but nothing appeared to happen. the girls had started talking quickly and sounding all knowledgeable.

They managed to introduce themselves but she was quickly on some rant again.

"Anyway do you mind if I sit here?" She finally asked. The two boys nodded confused. Not only did she speak fast and such knowledgeable facts but they had no idea what she what she was talking about.

The whispering started again then.

'Play me. Play me. Past, future, present. I can answer. I can tell. I can predict. Just play me. Play me.

Harry was entranced with the voice. he moved towards his trunk and he managed to get it out of his trunk under his clothing.

"Do you want to play a game?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione.

"Uh- okay." Ron baffled at why he would suggest a game.

"Alright." Hermione also as baffled as Ron.

"Okay." Harry lifted the wooden top and placed it on the ground. Inside were pieces. There was an owl, a chess piece of a horse and a strange ball. They were made of stone and beautifully carved. There was no colour or life to them though.

In the middle of the board there was what looked like strange hole. The board itself though had many squares surrounding all moving around the board and around the squares and hole was what looked like a blue liquid. Or was it some sort of gas? The whole thing was beautiful.

"How do we play?" Ron asked.

"Maybe we should look at the instructions." Hermione said reaching into the box to try and find some sort of paper but came out empty.

"Well that's stupid." Ron responded. "We can't play if we don't know how. What's the aim of the game."

The hole in the centre lit up with blue fluorescent writing. It was cursive and elegant but sent chills down there spins. It was creepy. It acted like it wasn't an inanimate object.

'Instruction 1' the writing showed. 'You have to select a piece. Do this now.'

"I want the chess piece." Ron said

"Maybe we ought to think-"

"You can have the owl if you want Hermione, because there smart and all, how else would they be able to deliver the post." Ron cut her off.

"That wasn't what I was going to say, I was going to suggest that maybe we shouldn't play."

"I'll have the ball thingy." Harry said.

"It's actually a snitch they have them in quidditch." Ron told harry.

"Stop, think about this first. This is a magical game. It could be dangerous. Where did you say you got this game from harry." Hermione said. Ron cut harry off before he could reply though.

"Don't worry it'll be fine Hermione, what could go wrong."

"Well I don't know but…"

"Don't worry it's only a game."

"Alright I'll have the owl." Hermione said snatching it from the board.

"Good. Now what's the next instruction?"

The hole lit up again with the writing.

'Warning- when you start you can't stop. This game comes with sacrifice.'

"It's just trying to scare us. Nothing will happen it's only a board game."

Hermione and harry nodded in understanding. But harry couldn't help remembering the voice. The words dispersed and new ones came up.

'You can't tell anyone- deadly consequences otherwise.' The trio once again nodded in mere understanding rather than in agreement.

'Instruction 2- Roll the dice and wait for more instructions.'

"See it's not that bad" Ron consoled Hermione. "Now who wants to go first." Looking towards harry and Hermione to see if they wanted to. Neither responded.

"I'll go first, now where is that dice." Ron looked over the board before finding it. instead though of having dots or numbers it was blank. It was just straight white.

"What bloody di has nothing on it?" Ron asked no one in particular. He chucked it on the board. The di fell and the black hole lit up with blue writing again.

"What does it say Ron." Hermione asked harry also leaned in curious.

'You are new. The first task is easy. You must be sorted in to houses.' The writing disappeared.

"What sort of game is it when you have to all do the same things yet not play individually?" Harry asked.

"A game against the board not each other. Oh well thought that's pretty easy anyway."

"How did it know we were new?" Hermione asked. The boys shrugged.

There was a knock at the door interpreting Hermione's train of thought.

"Hey Ron, I was just coming to say that you should get into you robes, we're almost there." Percy weasly said before quickly leaving, obviously doing his prefect rounds.

"Yeah we probably should." Harry muttered to Ron. Ron nodded in agreement. When Hermione let out a gasp.

"It's gone. The game, it's gone."

"Oh well it didn't seem like a very good game. It just has a mind of its own. My dad says don't trust something if you don't know where it keeps his brain. Well I think that's what he says." Ron said while going through his bag to find his robes.

"No need to worry Hermione, but, do you, ah, mind stepping out so we can get changed." Harry said, looking at the already changed Hermione.

"Oh, oh alright, well I still need to find Neville's toad so I'll talk to you later anyway. I can't believe I forgot about that toad." She muttered until she had left the compartment.

**I skimmed over this because it was things people sort of already know but I promise next chapter will be more detailed**


	2. Knight Fall

**Disclaimer- J.K Rowling owns all rights to the Harry Potter franchise **

**Chapter 2**

A voice echoed through the train. 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train. It will be taken to school later.'

The train slowed down and stopped. Students pushed their way through the doors and out on to the platform. It wasn't a very big platform and Harry and Ron we're pushed around quite a bit. There were a few signs but few towns people. Probably knew to stay out of the way the crowd. It seemed that there were just echoes of students shoving or being pushed.

'Firs'-years! Firs' years over here.' Hagrids voice boomed over the crowd of students. 'All right there Harry.' Hagrid beamed down at him. Harry nodded trying not to fall from the shoving of other students.

"C'mon then, follow me- any more firs' years?"

The small first year students were stumbling along the dirt path when Harry felt something heavy fall into his pocket. Something like a small stone. He put his hand in his pocket, he had a feeling he knew what it was but was hoping it was just a chocolate frog. Unfortunately it wasn't the chocolate frog but exactly what he had expected, he pulled the stone snitch out of his pocket and looked over at Ron who had also pulled out a chess piece.

"What how did it get there?" Ron asked, more to himself then to Harry.

"No idea, I never even took mine off the board." Harry replied. "I know Hermione did though. She still has hers."

"Yeah, oh well it's only a stupid game. It's just trying to scare us again." Ron muttered in reassurance.

"Yeh'll get your firs' sight of Hogwarts in a moment. Jus' round this here corner." Hagrid called to the nervous group of first years. Interrupting Ron's and Harry's conversation.

The path opened up and on the other side of the lake was a vast castle with a tower and old bricks. Something that belonged in story books, was sitting in front of the wide eyed first years.

"No more than four 'n a boat" Hagrid said motioning them over to the small boats.

Harry and Ron were able to get a boat with Hermione and the podgy boy who kept losing his toad.

"Hermione you know those pieces from the game." Ron whispered to her in case Neville over heard. "Well Harry and I both have ours but we never took them off the board. We just found them in our pockets." Ron pulled out the chess piece to prove his point. Hermione then started to worry and tried to come up with a logical explanation. She didn't have one. Her brain was ticking going over the same thing. 'We should have never played. How do we get rid of it?'

"I don't think we should play?" Hermione finally said.

"Well that won't be too hard will it? We don't even know where the thing has gone too." Ron commented.

"Wrong. We still have the pieces." Hermione said, rolling her eyes at Ron.

"Fine all we have to do is get rid of them." Harry took his piece out. The snitch. "I'll just throw mine into the water."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Neville blurted. Neville hadn't meant to pry but what had been a hushed conversation soon turned into a rather loud one. He couldn't help but over hear what they had been saying. Neville though was rather concerned for them as he was for most people.

Ron, Hermione and Harry all turned towards the boy. They couldn't believe they had let that slip. Ron though had a sudden brainwave.

"Well if we can get rid of them then we don't need to worry about it." He took the chess piece out of his pocket and dropped it into the water. They all watched as it sunk to the bottom. "See nothing bad."

Ron though felt a sudden pull around his naval. It was a strange feeling, it felt like going up and down on a see saw. There was a tight tug and he fell backwards into the water.

The water was like shards of glass digging into his skin. It was like ice and yet felt like it was burning. He could hear the shouts from the others above. He tried to swim but the invisible cords held him. They were tugging him to the rocky bed. The tangles of water seemed like weed lost him in the direction of swimming. They pulled him to the bed of the lake. He now seemed to find the irony of it being called a bed. As if it was like falling asleep. It was in a way. Everything was going black, and it didn't feel real. It felt wrong. It wasn't like a real bed. Warm with covers and the sounds of his brother Percy or the whisperings of the new prank from Fred and George.

The only other thing though that was truly wrong was the burning in his lungs the need to breathe. It was human to breathe, to need oxygen. The same went with water. We all needed it. Just not so much. He needed to breathe, the blackness was overtaking his sight and he only had one thing on his mind. He tried to breathe, the wishes of oxygen but it just let the burn flow into his lungs. He closed his eyes. At this point you would expect his life to flash across his mind. That didn't happen but a voice though called to him.

'I choose when it ends, I even choose the death of the next victim.' He heard the voice say to him. Sing in a high pitched voice. He was swamped by blackness then. He couldn't hear or see and some would say that was a bad thing but it seemed so much easier than the burn. Then to feel the ice that was surrounding him.

**Hello, I am sorry for the long wait, I just have had a busy time with school, and please review it means so much to me.**


	3. Drowning of Sorts

**Anything Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling**

**Please review, I love feedback and constructive criticism **

**Chapter 3**

He had fallen. Ron had fallen. It seemed so fast yet in slow motion. Hermione was the first to react and called Hagrid but his boat was too far away that it would be impossible for him to get out in enough time. Neville was the second to react. He jumped into the water. Harry was the last but jumped in to help as well. Harry couldn't help but feel guilty about the whole ordeal. It was his idea to throw the pieces in. It was his idea to play the game. It was his entire fault. He then tried to concentrate on the task. Where was Ron? Harry felt guilty enough as it was. He couldn't let him die because of him.

The lake was black. He should have figured as much since it was called the black lake. Neville it seemed had swum ahead trying to find Ron. The lake was cold but Harry tried to not let it faze him. He swum to the bottom hands out stretched. He felt a hand a human hand and pulled it. He wasn't able to lift him very far but it seemed Neville had also realised where they were. Neville took Ron's other hand and together they pulled him to the surface.

Hermione it seemed was there waiting. She helped pull Ron on to the boat and then the two boys.

"Ron, Ron wake up, Ron." Hermione shook Ron, trying to wake him. Ron had been knocked out and Hermione was becoming hysterical. She knew about muggle first aid but that didn't seem to come up instead the continuous shaking of Ron's limp body was all she was able to do. She was sure he was just unconscious not dead or anything really serious but still she worried. Ron of course seemed to be coming around, the cold air had hit and it seemed to have woken him up.

"Wha, what happened?" He managed to rasp out. The water had tired him out and made him cold making the ability to speak harder.

"You fell into the water, after you know. Um you threw the chess piece into the water." Hermione answered glancing at a very confused and wet Neville. It seemed though that with the relief of having an alive Ron she turned to an also wet and guilty feeling Harry.

"I knew we should have never played that game, what were you thinking when you played it. What made you want to play it, why, did you know that it could kill us? Where the hell did you get this game Harry." Hermione yelled at him, she very rarely raised her voice especially to people she had only just met and wanted to be friends with. But she kept berating herself because she believed she had every right to. She knew that she didn't know Ron well but he could have died and it would be her fault because she didn't stop them from playing. It could have been her lying on the wooden flooring of the boat. Lying there wet and cold and possibly dead. It was just pure luck that Harry and Neville had found Ron in the water.

"In a store in Diagon alley." Harry replied abashed, he now felt guiltier then before. He couldn't believe it had happened.

"Mate, I have never heard of a store that sold games like that, it would be sold in, your more of the dark arts store." Ron coughed out the end. "Hey where's Hagrid?" Ron changed the subject, noticing Neville who was trying to get far away from Hermione as possible. Harry sighed and motioned to Hagrid who was floating away. It seemed that even though Hagrid heard the splash and saw the three boys fall in to the water he didn't do anything.

"Probably the game, made him forget to come get us. Stopped the boat from moving towards us, who knows what it did." Harry replied. That stupid game was meddling in their lives. Hermione's reminder of the fact that it was his fault was echoing around in his brain. It was his fault Ron had almost died.

"Oh."

"Uh, guys, I know I shouldn't be listening to your conversation or anything but uh, were not moving." Neville interrupted, the lull in conversation making him able to get a word in. He didn't want to mention it what with the fact that the trio did keep looking at him. He couldn't help but feel bad about it.

"It could just be because I fell out it stopped." Ron consoled Neville. "It will start again soon."

Neville heard Harry mutter something along the lines of 'I bet it was the game.' Neville ignored it knowing it wasn't his business. He didn't like it when people investigated him, why should he do the same.

"I hope it's soon, it's getting cold." Neville tried to ease the sudden tension in the boat. It was in fact getting cold though. It was already dark and a sudden mist was coming over the top of the lake. There was a small cold breeze that was hitting the backs of the dripping boys.

-Great hall-

Professor McGonagall stepped forward with her scroll in hand.

"When I call your name please step forward, to be sorted in your houses. Abott, Hannah."

It seemed that the sorting had begun and Dumbledore and Hagrid had both noticed the missing four students. Hagrid was worried, he didn't seem to remember anything odd happening on the lake or coming up to castle but they could have easily gotten lost amongst the many first years. Dumbledore on the other hand was rather worried but passed it off that they had gotten lost through the castle.

"Excuse me, Severus but would it be alright if you could go find four missing students. Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasly and Harry Potter. I am afraid they have not turned up to the sorting." Albus Dumbledore asked, trying to not be noticed by the other students in the hall.

"Of course." Snape replied in his usual bored drawl.

Severus moved to leave the hall, trying not to be noticed by the other students. A few of them were convinced that he had tried to kill the last defence against the dark arts teacher. Didn't want any other rumours spreading.

He managed to slip out and walked out of the castle towards the black lake. He saw the small boat and the heads of the four first years. Accio boat. He muttered to bring the boat into the dock.

The four first years felt the pull and saw the strange looking man at the dock waiting for them. Hermione let out a sigh, thank god they could still get to the sorting. The three boys also felt relief but mainly because they wouldn't lose their fingers from the cold.

The boat docked and the four got a better look at the greasy black haired man. He had a pale white complexion and a long nose. He had black robes which gave the impression of bat man. He himself skimmed over the first years and wondered why three of them were wet. He stopped when he saw Harry thinking that he was James and glared at him with a burning hatred.

Harry was confused why the strange man was glaring at him and yet paid no mind to the other three.

"Get out, you have to come to the Great Hall for the sorting ceremony. Your already late. Don't won't to miss it I hope."

This brought Hermione out of her thoughts. The game said they had to be sorted and she rather not find out what it would do if she didn't get it done. She scrambled out of the boat grabbing the hands of Ron and Harry who both realised why she was in such a rush. Neville who also managed to get out muttered a thank you to Snape. And then ran after the trio.

"Come oon, who knows what will happen if we miss the ceremony, it might kill us or somebody else for punishment." Hermione told the boys. She was panicking. She just wanted the game to end and if that meant having to run up a steep hill and running into a hall full of people then she would do it.

"Do you know the way then because I don't."

"That way dear." A painting pointed to the hallway. "To the great hall."

Hermione and Harry didn't have time to look at the painting and be astounded, not as Ron and Neville pulled them towards the doors of the great hall. They pushed the doors open, breathless and panting.

"We made it." Ron muttered as he shook his head trying to get rid of some of the water.

The hall had frozen to look at the four. Fred muttered something about 'what an entrance' and a few mutterings swept through the crowd about where they were. They already had a fair idea about who they were as all their names had been called out several times.

The four moved up to the front to where McGonagall was. She flicked her wand to dry the three boys. A sudden warmth engulfed them and they were all very relieved to no longer be creating a puddle.

"Glad to see you four finally made it. Now let's see here, we have a few more names and you can go after them." She told the four, they stepped to the side. To let the sorting cotinine.

"Weasly Ronald." Was called being the second to last.

The hat was set on to his head and the hat called Gryffindor. Many cheers from his brothers were heard and they made a space for him to sit at. Then another was sorted into Slytherin before the three were able to go up.

"Granger, Hermione."

She went up and sat on the stool. It seemed the hat was deliberating between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Gryffindor was called and she sat down across from Ron. The same house was said to Neville even though he did argue with the hat about being in Hufflepuff. He didn't think he was brave enough like his parents to be in Gryffindor.

Harry was finally called and it seemed the whole school wanted to get a good look at the boy. Harry was shocked but tried to ignore the whispering and the schools attempts to see him. He was sorted into the expected house of Gryffindor and went to sit next to Neville.

Professor McGonagall then rolled up the scroll and then walked to her seat at the teachers table. Food, plates and cutlery all appeared and Harry caught Ron drooling at the amount that there was. Of course he didn't bother to try and eat as Albus Dumbledore then got up and spread his arms and started to speak.

"Welcome. Welcome to a New Year school year Hogwarts. Now before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you." Dumbledore then went to sit down. Harry asked Percy if he was mad but was reassured that he was a bit.

"That's really weird, those words Dumbledore said, there all to do with Herbology." Neville told Ron, Harry and Hermione. "Nitwit and Blubber are two elements of a plant used in potion making and Oddment and Tweak are two well-known Herbology researchers. They did a few break through experiments." Neville mused; Hermione was the only one paying attention to what he said while Ron and Harry continued to eat.

Nearly Headless Nick showed up but Ron, Harry and Hermione didn't pay attention instead a small piece of paper then fell out of the sky.

'Well done on getting Gryffindor. Congratulations.' They all knew that not just anybody had sent it, the cursive writing was perfect and looked as if it belonged to somebody from a long time.

"This game gives me the creeps. I hope it ends soon." Ron said. Harry and Hermione nodded and the trio turned to the current conversation of blood status and family.


End file.
